By Anthonio Dey.
Natural Resources Shadow Minister David Patterson has accused the governing PPP/C of deliberately delaying the appointment of the Petroleum Commission. According to Patterson, the Commission is critical to managing the country’s oil and gas sector, and the delay is causing uncertainty and instability in the industry.
Patterson stated that the PPP/C government has been in power for over a year and a half, yet they have not taken the necessary steps to appoint the Commission’s members. He believes that this is because the government wants to maintain control over the sector and keep the decision-making power in the hands of a few.
The Petroleum Commission regulates and oversees the exploration, development, and production of petroleum resources in Guyana. The establishment of the Commission was a key recommendation of the Natural Resource Fund Act, passed in 2017, to provide a legal framework for the management of the country’s oil revenues.
Patterson has called on the government to expedite the appointment process and ensure the Commission is fully operational as soon as possible. He emphasized that the Commission’s role in ensuring transparency and accountability in managing the country’s oil resources is vital to developing the sector and the country.
